Furniture rest and method of fabricating the same



July 18, 1961 E. GAENZLE FURNITURE REST AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME Filed Dec. 19, 1958 Z 3 5 .llll 2 INVENTOR LUT HER E. GAELNZLE ATTORNEY 2,992,509 FURNITURE REST AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME Luther E. Gaenzle, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 781,728 Claims. (Cl. 45-137) This invention relates to a furniture rest and method of fabricating the same. Furniture rests are attached to the legs of chairs to provide for distribution of the weight of the chair and the occupant over a relatively large surface area compared with the floor-engaging surfaces of the furniture legs, to avoid objectionable indentation of resilient floors such as linoleum. The furniture rests also provide for sliding movement of the chair over the floor surface without scratching or marring of the floor surface. The rests preferably are provided with a swivel action so that the chair to which they are attached may be tilted with respect to the floor-engaging portion of the rest, assuring that the rest will remain in flat condition on the floor during normal tilting of the chair.

Many different types of furniture rests currently are on the market. Some are expensive, others are diflicult to fabricate, still others are lacking in proper swiveling action, adaptability to various types of furniture leg constructions, inadequate wear resistance, and other deficiencies. Many are incapable of providing the required low silhouette design for modern wrought iron, tubular, and other pieces of furniture where a low, streamlined outline for the rests is highly desirable.

According to the present invention, a furniture rest is provided having two principal parts, a floor-engaging base and a furniture attaching element joined to the base. Permanent joining of the two elements with a swivel connection is effected in accordance with the fabrication method of the invention by permanent deformation of a flange portion of the base to overlie an arcuate guiding surface on the furniture attaching element. Excellent swiveling action is provided and the rest is practically universal in its application to various types of furniture legs by use of various types of attaching elements. Since the base portion may be formed by molding from a synthetic resin composition, such as a high impact strength linear polyethylene composition, nylon, or other tough and abrasion resistant composition, excellent wear resistance may be provided. Since the base portion may be molded to any desired contour and since the interlocking of the base and furniture attaching element is effected directly within the base, a low silhouette may be provided.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, an embodiment of the rest and one mode of fabrication of it will be described in conjunction with the attached drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded View, partially in section, of the glide elements prior to assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the positioning of the glide elements in a post-forming die prior to joining of the base and furniture attaching elements;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the same elements upon completion of the post-forming operation; and

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view, partly broken away, showing a finished glide.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the glide comprises a floorengaging base 2 and a furniture attaching element 3. A washer 4 is an optional element which generally is used with a nail or drive screw type attaching element 3, but would not be used with a cup type attaching element, for

example, arranged to receive the terminal portion of a States Patent 0 tubular metal chair leg for instance. The present invention is not concerned with the particular type of furniture attachment arrangement for joining the glide to the furniture to be supported; it is applicable to all types, including the nail, drive screw, and cup types mentioned above, the so-called parachute type which is arranged to fit within the hollow leg of a piece of tubular furniture, and all of the other types of which there are a great many.

The base 2 includes a lower, slightly domed floor-engaging portion 5 and an upper, annular flanged portion 6. The inner wall 7 of the flange 6 defines a central cylindrical recess 8 in the top of the base 2. Within the recess 8 and projecting upwardly therein, is a boss 9 which has an arcuate swiveling surface 10 formed thereon, wholly below the terminal edge of the flange 6.

The attaching element 3 includes a base-engaging portion 11 provided with an arcuate swiveling surface 12 which is complementary to the arcuate swiveling surface 10 on the base 2.

As shown in the drawing, the base 2 may have a boss with a generally hemispherical or ball-type swiveling surface, and the attaching element may have a complementary socket-type swiveling surface which may be generally semispherical to permit substantial tilting movement of the attaching element 3 relative to the base 2 throughout a wide range of angularity. It will be obvious, of course, that the configurations may be reversed, and the ball type swiveling surface may be provided on the attaching element and the socket type swiveling surface on the base.

The base-engaging portion 11 of the glide shown in the drawing is provided also with an outer arcuate guiding surface 13 which is engaged by the inner surface of flange 6 of the base 2 when the same is deformed over the guiding surface 13 during assembly of the parts.

Above the surface 13, the base-engaging portion 11 is provided with a radial flange 14 and an axially projecting drive screw type connection 15 formed integrally therewith. The shank of the connection 15 adjacent to the flange 14may be knurled as indicated at 16 to assist in holding the washer 4 when the same is assembled with the attaching element 3.

The assembly operation may be effected as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. A heated forming die 17 is provided. It is shown attached to a press platen 18. This may be part of a small hydraulic cylinder and piston actuated press for example. Attachment of the forming die 17 to the platen 18 may be by a pair of projecting lugs 19 on the die, with bolts 20 passing through openings in the lugs 19 and being received in threaded openings in the platen 18.

The forming die is provided with a central opening 21 which receives the drive screw portion 15 of the attaching element 3. A shoulder 22 is provided in the die above the opening 21, the shoulder 22 supporting the washer 4. The internal shape of the forming die will depend, of course, on the nature of the furniture attaching element which it is to receive and support.

A curved forming surface 23 extends inwardly from open mouth 24 of the forming die. The curvature of the forming surface 23 is complementary to the arcuate guiding surface 13 on the attaching element 3, but it is, of course, formed on a greater radius to accommodate the flange 6 of the base 2 and properly deform it into engagement with the guiding surface 13 of the attaching element in the assembly operation.

Heat may be supplied to the forming die in any conventional manner. An electric heater 25 has been shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 secured to the outer periphery of the forming die 17 adjacent to the open mouth thereof to heat the portion of the die which is engaged by the floor-engaging base in the post-forming operation during assembly.

The various parts may be loaded into the forming die manually. Automatic feeding means may be provided as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. The washer 4, if one be provided, is first positioned in the die cavity against the shoulder 22. The drive screw portion 15 of the attaching element 3 then is inserted through the opening in the washer 4 to bring the washer 4 and the knurled portion 16 of the attaching element 2 into engagement. The floor-engaging base 2 then is positioned generally as shown in FIGURE 2, with the flange 6 lying in engagement with the forming surface 2-3 and encircling and enclosing the terminal end of the base-engaging portion 11 of the attaching element 3.

Pressure then is applied to the parts as shown in FIG- URE 3. This preferably is accomplished by bringing upper platen 26 of the press toward the lower platen 18. Since the floor-engaging surface 5 of the base 2 generally is flat and since the platens 18 and 26 generally are in parallel relationship, with the die 17 being disposed generally perpendicular to the parallel surface of the platens 18 and 26, the base 2 will be moved to an axially aligned position with respect to the forming die 17 and to the attaching element 3 which also is in atrial alignment with the forming die 17. The heat applied to the forming die 17 by the heater 25 is transferred to the material from which the floor-engaging base 2 is formed; and, as the press is closed, the heated flange portion 6 of the base 2 is post-formed from its original molded shape as shown in FIGURE 2 to the shape shown in FIGURE 3. The base-engaging portion 11 of the attaching element 3 is embraced for swiveling movement within the confines of the post-formed flange 6, with the surface on the base 2, and the complementary surface 12 on the attaching element in engagement and with the arcuate guiding surface 13 on attaching element 3 and a corresponding arcuate surface 27 post-formed on the flange 6 of the base 2 in engagement, all as shown in FIGURE 3.

With a floor-engaging base injection molded from a nylon composition, such as Spencer Chemical Companys injection molding grade nylon and having a 1% diam eter floor-engaging surface, shaped as shown in the drawing', the temperature of the forming die may be elevated to about 450 F. to 470 F. and a minimum pressure of about 269 pounds per piece may be applied between the platens i8 and 26. A dwell period of about 15 to seconds under full pressure application will be adcquate to post-form the flange 6 to the desired contour. Preferably, a spring loaded platen -6 is used so as to apply an increasing pressure as the platens 18 and 26 are brought together, and an air cushion may be provided in the hydraulic cylinder and piston unit which actuates the press to avoid any undesirable impact shocks being applied to the piece being post-formed.

The temperature of the forming die, the pressure applied to the piece, and the dwell time obviously will vary with different materials and different sizes and contours of pieces to be assembled as well as variations in the time, temperature, and pressure factor which are interrelated. The above example is given for illustration purposes only. Where control of the temperature of the die 17 within relatively narrow limits is important, the heater may be thermostatically controlled.

The finished rest is shown in FIGURE 4. It is neat in appearance, provides a low silhouette, has an imperforate base, and is provided with an excellent swiveling action. The parts are firmly joined together and separation in use, even under the most adverse conditions, is not likely to occur, for upon hardening of the nylon or other plastic material after post-forming to the contours shown in FIGURE 3, the furniture attaching element can be removed only upon breaking of the flange 6.

I claim:

1. A furniture rest comprising a floor-engaging base and a furniture attaching element permanently joined to the base and providing a swivel-joint connection therewith, said base being formed of amolded heat deformable resin composition including: a lower floor-engaging portion, an integral upper projecting flange defining a central recess in the base, and an arcuate swiveling surface provided in said base within the confines of said flange; said attaching element including: a lower base engaging portion, an upper furniture attaching portion, and an arcuate swiveling surface provided on said base engaging portion complementary to said swiveling surface in said base; a portion of said upper flange of said base being deformed to overlie said base engaging portion of said attaching element and confining the same for swiveling motion relative to said base.

2. A furniture rest comprising a floor-engaging base and a furniture attaching element permanently joined to the base and providing a swivel-joint connection therewith, said base being formed of a molded heat deformable resin composition including: a lower floor-engaging portion, an integral upper projecting flange defining a central recess in the base, and an arcuate swiveling surface provided in said base within the confines of said flange; said attaching element including: a lower base engaging portion, an upper furniture attaching portion, an arcuate swiveling surface provided on said base engaging portion complementary to said swiveling surface in said base, and an arcuate guiding surface on said base engaging portion; and an arcuate surface on the inner surface of a portion of said upper flange of said base being deformed to overlie said arcuate guiding surface on said base engaging portion of said attaching element and confining the same for swiveling motion relative to said base.

3. A furniture rest comprising a molded one piece floor-engaging base and a furniture attaching element joined to the base and providing a swivel-joint connection therewith, said base including: a lower floor-engaging portion, an integral upper radially inwardly projecting flange defining a central recess in the base, an integral boss projecting upwardly in said central recess, and an arcuate substantially hemispherical swiveling surface provided on the upper end of said boss; said attaching element including: an upper furniture engaging portion and a lower hollow semispherical base engaging portion providing an arcuate semispherical swiveling surface complementary to and lying in engagement with said substantially hemispherical swiveling surface on said boss; the radially inwardly directed portion of said integral flange overlying said hollow semispherical' base engaging portion of said attaching element and joining the base and attaching element for swiveling motion.

4. A furniture rest comprising a molded one piece floor-engaging base and a furniture attaching element joined to the base and. providing a swivel-joint connection therewith, said base including: a lower floor-engaging portion, an integral upper flange portion defining a central recess in the base, an integral boss projecting upwardly within said central recess, said boss and said flange having arcuate surfaces thereon defining an open topped arcuate chamber within said base; said attaching element including: a lower hollow semispherical base engaging portion received Within said chamber and engaged with said boss and said flange for swiveling motion, and an upper furniture engaging portion connected to said base engaging portion and projecting through said open top of said chamber.

5, A furniture rest comprising a molded one piece floor-engaging base and a furniture attaching element joined to the base and providing a swivel-joint connection therewith, said base including: a lower imperforate floor-engaging portion, an integral, annular flange portion, an integral substantially hemispherically-topped boss disposed within'the confines of said flange portion and spaced therefrom and forming therewith a chamber generally in the form of a hollow hemisphere with a constricted open top; said attaching element including: a hollow semispherical socket portion received within said chamber and disposed in swiveling engagement with said substantially hemispherical top of said boss below the constricted open top of said flange, and a furniture-engaging portion connected to said socket portion and projecting through said constricted open top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 630,128 Stock Aug. 1, 1889 6 Stock Dec. 12 1899 Young et al. Aug. 2, 1904 Stock Oct. 26, 1920 Schaeht Apr. 11, 1933 Bales June 5, 1934 Hufferd et a1. Dec. 9, 1941 Tegarty Dec. 1, 1942 Larmour Dec. 5, 1944 Friedman Nov. 18, 1947 Laure Aug. 30, 1955 Molla Dec. 27, 1955 Faulkner Dec. 3, 1957 Flanenik Aug. 26, 1958 Latzen Mar. 17, 1959 

